Purdue and Pearson partner to include Online Writing Lab in new mobile learning resource

March 19, 2013

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's Online Writing Lab will be included in a
Pearson mobile writing resource designed for smart phones and tablets through
an agreement between Purdue Research Foundation and Pearson.

The agreement allows the Purdue OWL to be
included in Pearson Writer, a complete resource of curated and searchable
information and guidance that includes writing, research, and content and
project management tools.

"The Purdue OWL had more than 230 million
online hits last year and may be the single most referenced website for writing
instruction and information in the world," said Linda Bergmann, director
of the Purdue Online Writing Lab and a professor of English. "The service
assists anyone, anywhere, with instructional writing resources for writing
projects such as résumés, research papers and essays, and it offers help with
significant writing challenges like learning English as a second language
program and using correct English grammar."

The Purdue OWL, which is part of the Purdue
College of Liberal Arts, houses writing resources and instructional material as
a free service to the public. The agreement with Pearson does not affect
current access to Purdue OWL, which will continue to be made available freely
for non-commercial, personal, educational and training use.

"According to the Educational Policy
Improvement Center, the ability to write is one of the most important skills a
student needs for academic success," said Jason Jordan, senior vice president
director of digital strategy at Pearson. "At the same time, we consistently hear
that students doing an online search for writing help quickly become
overwhelmed with the multitude of results. By incorporating Purdue's
outstanding OWL service as part of Pearson Writer we will offer an all-in-one,
curated, accessible and personalized mobile resource that provides students
with information and guidance on good writing and research fundamentals and
managing the writing and research process. Pearson Writer includes helpful
videos and quizzes, auto-citation, writing review, course trackers, source
citing in the MLA, APA and Chicago writing styles, all in one searchable mobile
tool. Information is kept updated so students can feel confident that the
information they receive is current and available 24/7."

Pearson Writer is being piloted with more than 10,000
students in about 60 universities across the United States.

Elizabeth Hart-Wells, assistant vice president
for the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, said the collaboration
between Purdue and Pearson will meet the growing need of online educational
assistance.

"Mobile devices are some of the most
important educational tools for students and consumers," she said. "This
agreement is unique in many ways because it combines the reputation of writing
expertise of the Purdue OWL online program, the depth of Pearson educational
resources and expertise in personalized learning, and the strength of Purdue's
information technology."

To support an increase in visitors and 24-hour
demands, Information Technology at Purdue, or ITaP, has provided a virtual
server configuration that hosts the university's OWL data resources alongside
Pearson's OWL resources to ensure availability of the information for national
and international users.

"Three-fourths of the world's population
already has access to a mobile phone or device, and we are prepared for the
'always-on demand' online needs of a global audience," said Gerry
McCartney, Purdue's chief information officer and vice president for
information technology. "Our future plans are designed for constant
upgrades for increased development of tools and resources for mobile devices
but also for novel partnerships with industry like the agreement with
Pearson."

Indiana Computer Systems LLC, a Purdue Research
Park-based company whose technology is developed through Purdue, is providing software
development and consulting services.

About Pearson

Pearson,
the world's leading learning company, has global reach and market-leading
businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing (NYSE:
PSO). Pearson helps people and institutions break through to improved outcomes
by providing innovative print and digital education materials, including
personalized learning products such as MyLab and Mastering, CourseConnect
customizable online courseware, education services including custom publishing,
content-independent platforms including the EQUELLA digital repository, and the
Pearson LearningStudio online learning platform and OpenClass online learning
environment.

About
Purdue's Online Writing Lab

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue
University develops and houses writing resources and instructional materials,
and provides them as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students,
members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist
with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for
in-class and out-of-class instruction.

About
Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation is a private,
nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University.
Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts, administers trusts,; funds
scholarships and grants, and acquires property on behalf
of Purdue. The foundation oversees the Purdue Office of Technology
Commercialization, which operates one of the most comprehensive technology
transfer programs among leading research universities in the United States. In
the 1990s, the foundation was charged with helping the university in the realm
of economic development. The foundation oversees the Purdue Research Park,
which is the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the
country.